Layered Beverage Dispenser with Density-Controlled Layer Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage dispensers struggle to create layered beverages with customizable layer compositions and positions, often resulting in imperfect layer separation and limited flexibility in recipe variations, especially for cold and fruit-based beverages.
Innovation Solution
A dispenser with a preparation unit and control unit that allows users to select and customize the nature and position of beverage layers by calculating and adjusting the density of each component, enabling the creation of visually appealing and customizable layered beverages with different soluble ingredients and dilution ratios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If foam is produced at the top of the first layer to reduce mixing velocity, then layer separation is improved, but foam is not always desired by customers especially for cold and fruit beverages
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the delivery velocity parameter dynamically based on the beverage type and layer configuration. By adjusting the flow rate and delivery speed of subsequent layers, the system achieves proper layer separation without requiring foam generation, thus maintaining versatility across different beverage types including cold and fruit beverages.
2Stability of the object's composition
If fixed density liquids are used with high density always at the bottom, then layer stability is improved, but the ability to create custom layer orders is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the density parameter of each beverage layer by controlling the dilution ratio of soluble ingredients with water. This allows the creation of layers with specific densities in ascending or descending order according to user selection, enabling custom layer positions while maintaining stability through precise density differentiation between layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the static fixed-density approach into a dynamic system where density values are calculated and adjusted in real-time based on the desired layer configuration. The processing unit computes appropriate density parameters for each layer to achieve the user-selected vertical order, making the system adaptable to various layer arrangements.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual preparation is used to keep layers well separated, then layer separation is improved, but preparation time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical preparation with an automated dispensing mechanism controlled by a processing unit. The system automatically calculates delivery velocities, densities, and sequence of layer dispensing to achieve proper separation, eliminating the need for manual intervention while reducing preparation time and ensuring consistent results.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback control where the processing unit monitors the dispensing process and adjusts delivery parameters in real-time based on the selected beverage type and desired layer configuration. This ensures optimal layer separation is achieved automatically without requiring manual adjustment or extended preparation time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the preparation of beverages with precise control over layer density and position, allowing for a wide variety of layered beverage compositions and positions, enhancing user customization and visual appeal without the need for foam, and accommodating different recipes and ingredient types.
Implementation Method 1
said preparation unit preparing the beverage components by dilution of at least one soluble beverage ingredients with a diluent, preferably water
Implementation Method 2
the processing unit is adapted to calculate the density of each beverage component in order to obtain the vertical order of layers selected by the user in the drinking container
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2d
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention concerns a beverage dispenser (1 ) configured for dispensing in a drinking container (2) a beverage composed of a plurality of layers (2a, 2b, 2c) of beverage components, said dispenser comprising : - a preparation unit for preparing the beverage components (30, 31, 32, 33) and dispensing said beverage components in a drinking container, - a control unit (9) for enabling a user to control the preparation unit, said control unit comprising :. a user interface (10) for enabling a user to select a beverage,. a processing unit for driving the preparation unit in accordance with the beverage selected by the user, wherein the user interface (10) enables the user to choose the vertical order of the layers (2a, 2b, 2c) of beverage components in the drinking container, and wherein the processing unit is adapted to calculate the density (d30, d31, d32, d33) of each beverage component in order to obtain the vertical order of layers selected by the user in the drinking container.